Grounding base for connector

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to coupling devices for connectors and more particularly to connectors adapted to carry a plurality of detachable electrical contacts. Such connectors typically include a dielectric support. At least the electric contacts of one group extend outwardly from the support. Typically such contacts are tubular in form. In accordance with this invention there is provided in combination with such a dielectric support a base made of a conductor material. The base is positioned adjacent to the dielectric support and defines a plurality of openings through which are allowed to extend the electric contacts. Those electric contacts which it is desired to maintain at a common ground level fit snugly in the openings of the conductor base. In this manner good electric contact engagement is provided between the grounded contacts of the connector and the conductor base. Those electric contacts which it is not desired to ground fit loosely in the openings to avoid being short-circuited by the conductor plate.

United. States Patent [191 Haws 1 1 Dec. 3, 1974 Related US. ApplicationData [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 817,476, April 18, 1969,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl. 339/14 R, 339/177 R- [51] Int. Cl H01! 3/06 [58] Field ofSearch..... 339/14 R, 14 L, 14 P, 18 R, 339/18 B, 19,177 R [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,128,138 4/1964 Noschese 339/14R 3,205,295 9/1965 Davidson 339/14 R X 3,231,843 1/1966 Antes et a1339/14 R 3,335,388 8/1967 Karol 339/18 3,430,183 2/1969 Feeser et al339/14 R X 3,519,975 7/1970 Prow et a1. 339/14 P 3,553,628 l/l971Crimmins 339/14 R Primary Examirzer-Paul R. Gilliam AssistantExaminer-Robert A. Hafer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael P. Breston [57ABSTRACT This invention relates to coupling devices for connectors andmore particularly to connectors adapted to carry a plurality ofdetachable electrical contacts. Such connectors typically include adielectric support. At least the electric contacts of one group extendoutwardly from the support. Typically such contacts are tubular in form.In accordance with this invention there is provided in combination withsuch a dielectric support a base made of a conductor material. The baseis positioned adjacent to the dielectric support and defines a pluralityof openings through which are allowed toextend the electric contacts.Those electric contacts which it is desired to maintain at a commonground level fit snugly in the openings of the conductor base. In thismanner good electric contact engagement is provided between the groundedcontacts of the connector and the conductor base Those electric contactswhich it is not desired to ground fit loosely in the openings to avoidbeing short-circu'ited by the conductor plate.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEL 3. 852.700

F IG./

PRIOR ART Edward L. Ha ws INVEN TOR BY Michael P. Breston ATTORNEYGROUNDING BASE FOR CONNECTOR This application is a continuation of ourapplication for U .S. Patent Ser. No. 817,476, filed Apr. 18, 1969, nowabandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION proximity thousands of sensitive guidanceinstruments,

each capable of generating an electromagnetic field which is capable ofinducing unwanted signals into the neighboring instruments.

. In analog and hybrid computers the intelligence signals processed bythe operational amplifiers and other computing networks have relativelysmall magnitudes. Thus, the input to a summing junction of anoperational amplifier may be on the order of a few microvolts. It willbe appreciated therefor that any interferring or unwanted signalsappearing on' the input lines of such computing networks maybecomparable in magnitude to the'signals themselves and hence greatlyaffect the accuracy of the computed results.

A well-known practice employed to avoid the deleterious effects oftransient, parasitic, or other unwanted signals generated by extraneouselectromagnetic fields is to use pairs of coaxial conductors, each pairhaving a center conductor which is completely surrounded by an outerconductor, typically made of meshed wire. A dielectric materialseparates the two conductors. Coaxial wires'produce in most instancesa'negligible external electromagnetic field and have essentially littlesusceptibility to external fields from other sources and/or from fieldsproduced by adjacent pairs of coaxial conductors. For these and otherreasons such coaxial lines areextensively employed as radio-frequencytransmission lines, multi-channel telephone carrier and'televisionprogram lines, andin other communications networks. Such coaxial linesare also now widely employed in analog and hybrid computers.

In installations containing numerousnetworks it is, of course, necessaryto cut the coaxial wires and connect them to couplings or connectors soas to interconnect them with other coaxial wires. In the process ofcutting coaxial lines the protection against unwanted signals providedby the outer conductor is substantially lost. A common expedient is toconnect, as by soldering, each outer conductor of each pair of coaxialconductors to a common ground base. Those familiar with such a procedurewill appreciate the expense both in time and money that such a practicerequires. In addition, it is difficult to. avoid cold soldered jointswith a result that some coaxial wires are not properly grounded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention will find-application inconnection with various types of commercially available coupling devicesor connectors characterized by having a plurality of electrical contactsextending froma connector interface. While the invention is illustratedin connection with tubular contact elements,the invention is equallyapplicable with contacts of other configuretions. To connect toacommonground all or some of the electric contacts in a multi-contactconnector, there is provided preferably a flat base formed of aconductor material. A plurality of openings extend through the faces ofthe base. The inter-opening spacings are determined by the inter-contactspacings so as to allow all contacts to extend outwardly through thebase. The diameter of the openings is made slightly larger than theoutside diameter of the electric contacts so as to provide frictionalmechanical engagement between the outer peripheral walls of the tubularcontacts and the cylindrical walls defined by the openings in the base.Such frictional mechanical engagement also establishes a good electricconnection between the outer tubular walls of the electric contacts andthe conductorbase. In this manner the grounding of the desired number ofelectric contacts is accomplished automatically by the conductor base,thereby avoiding the necessity to individually ground each outerconductor of each pair of coaxial wires. Those electric contacts whichit is not desired to have grounded are associated with openings having adiameter sufficiently large relative to the outside diameter of thetubular electric contacts as to avoid mechanical and hence electricalengagement between the electric contacts and the conductor base,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows schematicallyamulti-contact connec- I tor for interconnecting a plurality of coaxialwires wherein each outer conductor of each pair of coaxial wires isindividually connected to ground through a grounding wire; I

FIG. 2 shows the application of this invention to a commerciallyavailable multi-contact connector,

shown partly in cross section, wherein 'a conductor base 16 includes anouter conductor 18 typically made of meshed wire. Socket 12 is providedwith a pluralityof coaxial tubular contacts generally designated as 20.Each pair of such coaxial tubular contacts includes an outer tubularcontact 22 and an inner contact 23. The outer conductor 18 is stretchedover the outer peripheral wall of the tubular contact 22 and ismechanically secured thereto by a metal outer sleeve 24.

To each end of the outer coaxial conductor 18 is electrically soldered,as at 26, one end of an electric conductor 28, the other end of which isconnected to a common ground 30. The job of individually interconnectingwires 28 with the outer connectors 18 is tedious, time consuming, andexpensive. In addition, the soldered connections 26 frequently becomeunsoldered rendering the grounding of their corresponding coaxial lines16 ineffective.

In accordance with this invention, the grounding of the electriccontacts in a multi-contact connector can be accomplished automatically.While the invention is not limited to any type of connector or to anygeometric shape for the electric contacts, it will be illustrated,

' for the sake of simplicity, in connection with a multicontactconnector generally designated as 40 having a socket part 42 and amating plug part 44. The terms socket and plug parts are used toindicate that both parts contain mating electric contacts which can beof the female, male (or a combination of both) type contacts.

The main function of connector 40 is, of course, to allow detachableelectric interconnections between a plurality of electric lines 46 andanother plurality of electric lines 48. Typically in applications whereparasitic signals are unwanted, lines 46 and 48 are made of coaxialconductors. Thus, line 46 has a center conductor 50 and an outerconductor 52. Line 48 has a center conductor 54 and an outer conductor56. The center conductor is electrically insulated in each coaxial linefrom its outer conductor by a dielectric material. The function of theconnector is to establish electrical contact engagement between centerconductors 50, 54,

on one hand, and between outer conductors 52, 56, on

the other hand.

Typically, center conductor 50 may be connected to an inner tubularfemale electric contact 60, and outer conductor 52 is electricallyconnected to an outer tubular male electric contact 62. Similarly,center conductor 54 is connected to an inner male electric contact 64,and outer conductor 56 isconnected to an outer female contact 66.Contact 64 is inserted into contact 60 thereby allowing contact 66 toengage the external tubular wall of contact 62. The dimensions ofcontacts 64, 66 and of contacts 60, 62 are such as to provide detachablefrictional engagement therebetween.

In addition to housing a plurality of contacts 62, forming part of afirst group 63, the socket part 42 which has a dielectric base 70 alsohouses a second group 73 of electric contacts such as 72, each contact72 having a close-ended tubular contact 74. A plurality of correspondingmating electric contacts such as 76 are provided in the dielectric base78 of plug 44. Of course, more than two groups of electric contacts maybe provided in each of the interconnecting parts 42 and 44.

The manner of interconnecting the coaxial conductors 50, 52 with thecoaxial tubular female electric contacts 60, 62 depends on the type ofconnector emtween the interfaces 90 and 92 of connector 40 is sandwicheda conductor base or plate 100 having at least as many openings,generally indicated as 102, as there are electric contacts in groups 63,73 in the base support .70 of socket 42. The outer peripheral walls oftubular contacts 62 snugly fit inside their corresponding mated openings1 10 to provide a good mechanical and electrical engagement between thewalls of contacts 62 and the conductor base 100.

While it is desired to connect the first group 63 of contacts 62 to acommon ground, it may be desired not to connect the second group 73 ofcontacts 74 to ground. For this reason the openings 114 through whichextend contacts 74 are made of a larger diameter so as not tomechanically or electrically engage the outer walls of contacts 74.

When it is not desired to ground any electric contacts in the connector40, conductor base 100 is removed by merely lifting it off from thecontacts 62, 74. The thickness of base 100 as compared to the dimensionsof the mated parts 42, 44 is relatively small, hence conductor plate 100does not in any way interfere with the normal operation of the couplingdevice 40. Since each instalployed. In the connector illustrated in FIG.2 the outer tubular contact 62 fits inside an opening 80 in thedielectric support 70. The outer coaxial conductor 52 is slipped overthe outer peripheral wall of tubular contact 62. A cylindrical metallicsleeve 82 extends over both the coaxial line 46 and the tubular contact62. In the final assembly, sleeve 82 is crimped to tube 62 therebyproviding a good electric engagement between the outer conductor 52 andthe outer male tubular contact 62. The center tubular female contact 60is also crimpingly engaged to the center conductor as at 84. The outertubular contacts 62 and 72 of groups 63 and 73, respectively, areinserted into openings of well 86 formed in the dielectric support body78 of plug 44 so that the connector interface 90 of socket 42 becomesadjacently disposed to the connector interface 92 of the plug 44.

As previously mentioned, connector 40 is a wellknown, commerciallyavailable connector and need not be further described herein.

In accordance with this invention the necessity to individually groundeach outer conductor 52 with a wire, such as wire 28 in FIG. 1, iscompletely avoided. Be-

lation may house a plurality, sometimes several hundred or thousand ofsuch coupling devices 40, each conductor plate is individually connectedto a common ground 118 by a wire 120.

Thus, it will be appreciated that in accordance with this invention onlyone grounded connection 118 is required for groups of coaxial lines 46instead of individually grounding each coaxial line 46 feeding intoconnector 40.

While the invention has been illustrated in connection with particulartype connectors and particular type electric contacts, it will beappreciated that the invention is not limited thereto and contacts otherthan tubular in form may be employed without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A coaxial electrical connector assembly comprismg:

a. a pair of cooperable plug members carrying a plurality ofcoaxially-engageable, pin-and-socket connector elements in opposed endfaces of the plug members;

b. certain ones of the said connector elements having mating endsextending outwardly of said end face of said plug member, each said pinelement having a conically-tapered, enlarged-diameter portion spacedinwardly from said mating end, said diameter of said tapered portionincreasing in the direction away from said mating end;

0. a thin, flexible metal grounding plate separate from said plugmembers disposed in between the opposed end faces of said plug members;

d. the body of said grounding plate defining a sufficient number ofinsert-free, cylindrical holes to permit passage therethrough of all ofthe connector pin elements projecting outwardly from said plug member;and

e. the diameters of the individual holes being made such that when theplug members are moved into mating engagement with each other, saidtapered portions of said connector pin elements become engaged inwedging pressure contact with the encircling walls of their matingholes, of said groundothers of the said pin connector elements havingmating ends extending outwardly of said end face of said plug member,each said pin element having a cylindrical configuration, the diameterof each pin connector element being less than the diameter of each ofsaid holes.

1. A coaxial electrical connector assembly comprising: a. a pair ofcooperable plug members carrying a plurality of coaxially-engageable,pin-and-socket connector elements in opposed end faces of the plugmembers; b. certain ones of the said connector elements having matingends extending outwardly of said end face of said plug member, each saidpin element having a conically-tapered, enlargeddiameter portion spacedinwardly from said mating end, said diameter of said tapered portionincreasing in the direction away from said mating end; c. a thin,flexible metal grounding plate separate from said plug members disposedin between the opposed end faces of said plug members; d. the body ofsaid grounding plate defining a sufficient number of insert-free,cylindrical holes to permit passage therethrough of all of the connectorpin elements projecting outwardly from said plug member; and e. thediameters of the individual holes being made such that when the plugmembers are moved into mating engagement with each other, said taperedportions of said connector pin elements become engaged in wedgingpressure contact with the encircling walls of their mating holes, ofsaid grounding plate while one side of said plate remains spaced fromsaid end face of said plug member containing said pin elements, andwhile said other end face of said other plug member engages the oppositeside of said plate, each such pressure contact establishing a mechanicaland electrical contact with the grounding plate.
 2. The connectorassembly of claim 1 wherein certain others of the said pin connectorelements having mating ends extending outwardly of said end face of saidplug member, each said pin element having a cylindrical configuration,the diameter of each pin connector element being less than the diameterof each of said holes.